Igor Kreyman

Name: Igor Kreyman
Job: Actor, Founder, The Human Connection Movement
Age: 32
Arrived from Ukraine, 1991

I’m an actor and founder of The Human Connection movement, a social enterprise that aims to tackle the loneliness epidemic. We hold global eye-gazing events that raise awareness of the benefits of face-to-face communication during an era of rapid technological advancement.

Whilst we’re living in the most digitally connected time in our history, we’re more socially disconnected than ever. Through The Human Connection Movement, I want to draw attention to themes like loneliness, poor mental health, physical and socio-economic outcomes like self-esteem, suicide and heart disease. What drives me constantly is connecting people and creating safe environments for people to be seen, heard and valued.

We’ve held over 150 events and workshops globally over the last two years and collaborated with film festivals, book launches and visual art installations. Each event brings strangers together who sit and look into each other’s eyes in silence. After experiencing it firsthand in LA, I felt more confident within myself. It helped me in self-discovery, understanding my self-worth and provided a sense of belonging. In addition, I work with couples to deepen connection and intimacy through conscious communication.

I actually became an actor because of my dad. I was a shy kid and he told me to give it a go. That had always been his dream, for himself. I went to auditions but never really took it seriously. Later, I went to business school and then worked in advertising, looking after financials for corporate clients. I’d never liked numbers and one day it hit me – If I could succeed at something I disliked, then I’d do well at something I actually loved. I quit my job, moved to LA and signed with an agent after a year. I’ve gone on to play different roles in movies and TV shows, most recently One Less God (2018).

My parents and I arrived in Australia from the former USSR, now Ukraine in 1991. I was five years old at the time. We left Ukraine because we were quite restricted in the way we lived and the food shortages. Initially we made our way to Italy where my dad ran into an old friend, who told him about the many opportunities in Australia. We arrived in Sydney with only $50 to our name.

I left behind my maternal grandfather who was a loving figure in my life – so it was a huge loss. I also feel like I left behind a perspective that would have bridged the gap between my Australian identity and my family’s Russian values. That perspective would have helped me avoid the confusion I often felt growing up in Australia. Coming over at such a young age [5 years], I had to learn a new language and make sense of where I was and what it meant. I didn’t really fit in to the conventional social norms, groups and behaviours so was quite rebellious as a teen.

What do I love about Australia? Everything! I wake up every day feeling safe. It’s multicultural, laidback and the land is beautiful. There’s so much land to discover, so many opportunities and careers. If you have an idea and are motivated or believe in something, you can turn it into a reality.

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